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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1; R. W. & P. GRINNELL.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER. No. 277,481. Patented May 15,1883.

Fi jill c W [TA-755555. 5 b INVENTUFE V RicfiarQZl/Gfinnglfl 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

- 3 W. & F. GRINNELL.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER. No. 277,481. Patented May 15,1883.

C 5' I f 1 ll i y- WTTNEEEEEI INVINTUHE' Bichgnw mall L fie lerl rii Grfnnell UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

RICHARD W. GRINNELL AND FREDERICK GRINNELL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND; SAID RICHARD W. GRINNELL ASSIGNOR TO SAID FREDERICK GRINNELL.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,481, dated May 15, 1883.

Application filedJanuaryiQ, 1883. (No model.) I

.To all whom it may concern: what is known as the Grinnell Automatic 50 Be it known that we, RICHARD \V. GRIN Fire-Extinguisher. Fig. 2 is a perspective NELL and FREDERICK GR-INNELL, both of the view of the key by which the lever holding the city and county of Providence, and State of valve in place is secured. Fig. 3 is an end Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful view of the lever and yoke, showing the key in Improvement in Automatic Fire-Extingnishplace. Fig. 4 is another view of the same au- 55 ers; and we hereby declare the following to be tomatic fire-extinguisher and a triangular key a full, clear, and exact description of the same, by which the lever holding the valve is sereference being had to the accompanyingdrawcured. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the key;

to ings, forming part of this specification. and Fig. 6, an end view, showing the key se- In automatic fireextinguishers of the varicured to hold the lever. Fig; 7 is anotherview 60 ous types and constructions the water or of an automatic fire-extinguisher in which the other fire-extinguishing fluid contained in the lever is held by a key, and Fig. 8 is an en system of pipes distributed through a buildlarged view of the end ofthe lever and the key.

ingis restrained by a valve, a seal, or a cap, by Fig. 9 is a view of an automatic fire-extinwhich the outlet is closed. These valves, guisher the lever of which is secured byakey. 6 seals, or caps are either directly secured by Fig. 10 is a perspective view of this key; and. solder or are held by means of a stem, a lever, Fig. 11, an end view, showing the key secured or other devices, so as to close the outlet, and to the yoke and holding the lever. Fig. 12 is these devices are held by a solder fusible at a a view, partly in section, of an automatic fire low temperature,or a temperature below 100 extinguisher in which the valve is held to its 70 Fahrenheit. The solder used for this purpose seat by two levers, which are secured together is liable to yield under the changes in pressby means of a key similar to the key shownin are, is liable to deteriorate in time by chemi- Fig. 2. Fig. 13 is a view of part of an autocal or molecular changes, so as to lose its origimatic fire-extinguisher in which the valve is nal holding-power, and is most particularly held by two levers secured together by a key 7 liable to yield slowly when the 'temperature like the one shown in Fig.5. Fig. leis a view, approaches the melting-point. Automatic partly in section, of an automatic fireextinfire-extinguishers are therefore liable to leak guisher in which the valve-stein is secured to 0 sufficiently to keep the solder cool at the most the strut by means of a key soldered to the critical time, and thereby prevent the prompt strut. Fig. 15 is a view of the same valve, 80 action of the extinguisher. To prevent these showing the key soldered to the strut. The difficulties, hold the outlet closed against all valv'estem may also be soldered to the strut. possible strain, and insure the prompt action The key will, when the solder is weakened by 5 of the automatic fire-extinguisher in case of heat, act as a pry to separate the weakened fire are the objects of this invention. solder-joint. Fig. 16 is a view, partly in sec- 8 The invention consists in interposing a metion,0f an automatic fireextinguisherin which tallic key between the device by which the a valve is held to its seat by a stem provided valve or seal is held to the outlet and the fixed with a screw-connection, so that the valve can 40 part to which it is secured, so as to resist the be forced firmly to its seat, the end of the stem internal pressure by direct metallic contact. being secured by solder to a yoke and a square 90 Another part of this invention consists in so keyinterposed between the stem and the yoke, constructing or placing the key or metal look as is more clearly shown in Fig. 17, which is a ing device that when the solder becomes softview of the valve and a sectional view of the i ened so as to yield the key will separate the yoke to which the stem is secured.

parts and cause the sudden rupture of the sol- In all the devices shown, and in all other de- 5 dered joint, as will be more fully set forth vices used to hold a valve, disk, seal, or de hereinafter. hector to the outlet, the levers or other det'ices Figure 1 is a View, partly in section, of holding the valve or seal may be secured to a yoke, strut, or other fixed part of or connected with an automatic fire-extinguisher by one of the keys shown, or-any metallic third part interposed to secure the same, which is secured by a fusible solder and constructed to be released bythe action of heat when a fire occurs, and will release the part holding the valve or seal; or the levers may be so secured to each other. We prefer, however, to secure the device by which the valve or 'seal is held to the outlet to some fixed part by solder, and interpose a key or metallic lock between the parts, and construct the same so that the parts cannot move until the solder has become softened, and when the slightest movement takes place the interposed key will act as a pry to break the joint and force the parts asunder. Thus is secured great strength to resist the pressure, and a sudden, certain, and complete opening of the extinguisher.

In the drawings, a a are the valves. 1) b are levers acting on the valves to hold them against the seats to resist the internal pressure.

b bare valve-stems, by which the valve is held.

0 c are the metal keys by which the levers and valve-stems or other devices for holding the valves are secured.

d d are arms or flanges formed on the keys, by which the same may be secured by solder,

. so as to retain their place until they are released by the action of heat.

The key shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 12, 14, and 15 consists in a round or square pin extending from the flange d. It is entered into slotted holes, so that it forms a metallic bearing against the end of the holes in each part as long as the flange d is held parallel to the parts, but allows them to separate as soon as the key is released. In separating the parts the key forms a pry, so that before the parts can slide along their surfaces they must separatethat is to say, no longitudinal motion is possible without a lateral motion separating the surfaces-or the devices holding the valve cannot move to allow even the slightest leak before the soldered joint is severed and the valve can open wide.

The key shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 is a triangular key, which enters a triangular groove in both the fixed part of the extinguisher and the device holding the valve. It is secured by solder and firmly holds the parts metal to metal until it is released by heat.

The key shown in Fig. 13 is like the key shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. It is placed into a groove formed in the two levers, which are secured together by solder.

The key shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 is a regular key, turning in a hole like the key of a lock. The ward enters the end of the lever or other device, and by it the valve may be forced to a firm hearing before the flange d is secured by solder. The lever b may also be secured in the fixed part by solder.

Thekey shown in Figs. 7and 8 rests against a shoulder on the fixed part of the extinguisher,

and the lever b rests against the key, which, when released by heat, tips over and releases the lever or other device secured by the same.

The fixed part referred to is the yoke, strut, or other part, f, to which the valve or seal may be secured. Various forms of such fixed part .are used in automatic fire-extinguishers, to

which the devices holding the valve or seal are secured.

In all the various applications of the keys shown the levers and valve-stems are held by the keys, and the levers, whether secured by solder or not, cannot move until the key by which they are held is released, thus firmly securing the levers, and through them the valves, and preventing the possibility of a leak until the restraining parts are entirely released and the valve may open its entire width, thus insuring the. prompt and reliable action of the automatic fire-extinguisher, preventing leakage, and increasing the security against fire.

We do not claim the use of the keys, broadly,

as these form the subject-matter of two other applications filed by us of even date herewith,

and to which reference is hereby made.

It is obvious that in the class of automatic fire-extinguishers in which the valve is held to its seat by means of a spring, so as to formbearing against the valve-disk and against a truss formed on the upper end of the valvestem may be used to secure a spring-pressed valve, which is entirely released by the release of the key holding the valve-stem. It is also obvious that the yokes f f shown in Figs. 14

and 16 may be made so as to exert a spring pressure on the valve. Such springs, having been used in previous inventions, form no part of this present invention, but may be used in connection with the various forms of keys.

Having thus described our invention,.we claim as new and 'desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an automaticfire-extinguisher, the combination, with a valve or seal constructed to close the outlet, and the device by which the valve is held, of a key secured by solder and constructed to hold the device until the key is released by the action of heat, as described.

2. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination, with a valve or seal constructed to close the outlet, and the device by which the valve is held, which device is secured by a solder fusible at a low temperature, of a key constructed to hold the device and cause 'the parts to separate when the solder is weakened by the action ofheat, as described.

3. The combination, with the valve a and devices by which the valve is held to its seat, A

of a metal key constructed to look the devices, automatic fire-extinguisher and the fixed part resist the pressure on the valve, and suddenly f, of a device interposed between the valveand release the valve when the solder by which it the fixed part, secured to the latter by a fusiis secured is fused by the action of heat, as deblesolder, and the metal key 0, placed between I 5 5 scribed. the parts to resist strain and cause the soldered 4. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, a solparts to separate, as described. dered joint strengthened by a metal key con- RICHARD W. GRIN N ELL. structed to rupture the joint when the solder FREDERICK GRINNELL. is affected by heat and cause the prompt action Witnesses: 10 of the extinguisher, as described. J. A. MILLER, J12, 5. The combination, with the valve a of an M. F. BLIGH. 

